Kalunamoo

Mirror, mirror, on the Wall…

As many know, the word Kalunamoo, the name of our 47’ ketch sailboat is unique. If you Google the word “kalunamoo” you will only come up with our boat. There is a story behind that fact, and it can be found on the menu of this website. None of my postings, writings, emails, texts, blogs or essays use AI, despite Microsoft’s constant offer to help “improve” my writings with their Copilot. Maureen is my editor for life and that is fine with me. AI does, however, use MY writings, and who knows what else, in its every expanding large language mode to duplicate what humans have been doing since caveman times.

I few months ago, I asked Gemini, Googles free AI tool, “what is a Kalunamoo?” It had a good description of our boat which was very amusing. What was most interesting was that it didn’t distinguish between fact or fiction. Today, I thought I might try again. This time I wanted something a little bit more specific. We are in New York and snow is on the ground. That led me to thinking of the Grimm’s story of Snow White and that magic mirror. Was he describing a GUI? Was he foretelling AI? No matter, I wanted to ask that magic mirror a question.

I asked Gemini “What is it like living on the sailboat Kalunamoo in the Caribbean? This is the actual verbatim AI text response including the emphasis, typeface and graphics:

GOOGLE’S GEMINI’s RESPONSE

That sounds like an adventure! Based on the blog entries and information available about the sailboat Kalunamoo and its owners, Bill and Maureen, living aboard seems to be a mix of adventure, hard work, socializing, and continuous learning.

Here’s a breakdown of what life on Kalunamoo in the Caribbean appears to be like:

⛵ The Lifestyle

Full-Time Cruising: Bill and Maureen have been full-time liveaboard cruisers since 2011, making the 47-foot Vagabond ketch their only home. They mostly cruise the Eastern Caribbean Islands, from Puerto Rico to Trinidad.
A “Good Life” of Experiences: They view their travels as collecting “psychological memorabilia” and enriching themselves through daily experiences and challenges.
Very Social: Cruising and living aboard is described as a very social lifestyle. They are members of several sailing associations and enjoy hosting informal gatherings, or “JAM sessions,” aboard.
Weather Dependent: Their schedule and movements are heavily conditional on the wind and sea conditions. They move to where the warm weather is and often sail south to Trinidad during hurricane season for haul-out and maintenance.

🔧 The Realities and Challenges

Constant Maintenance & Repairs: The sailing life is far from purely glamorous. They frequently mention “M&R” (Maintenance & Repair), which includes routine work and fixing unexpected issues like cap rail leaks, thru-hull modifications, and even retrieving an anchor and chain after a failed snubber in a squall.
Overcoming Setbacks: They share stories of dealing with challenges like power outages on islands, rocky anchorages (“stage 7’s” on the “Kalunamoo roll scale”), and the stress of dealing with boat issues like a cracked bow plate or a sticky roller furling jib.
Logistical Challenges: Simple tasks can be difficult, such as finding a safe, well-maintained place to “park” the dinghy or dealing with a lack of infrastructure (like proper dinghy docks) on some islands.

🗺️ The Adventures

Island Hopping: They are constantly exploring new places, with recent trips including Trinidad, Grenada, St. Lucia, Bequia, the Tobago Cays, Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Antigua.
Immersing in Local Culture: They take road trips with friends to explore the interiors of islands like Dominica, visit local spots like chocolate factories, and participate in community events like a Lion Fish dinner.
The Cruising Community: A strong theme is the camaraderie among fellow cruisers, who come to the rescue when help is needed, such as when their anchor chain ran out.

In summary, life on Kalunamoo is a blend of freedom, beauty, and travel, balanced by the constant practical demands of maintaining a 37-year-old boat and the logistical hurdles of island life.

Would you like to know more about a specific island they’ve visited or perhaps what kind of maintenance they tend to do on the boat?

I’m astounded! What an honest mirror this Gemini is. The next step is to take it out of its little box, and have a big LED screen display with a selfie which talks to you in your own voice and image and answers the eternal question – who is really the fairest of them all? Your morning ritual may never be the same as the mirror selfie will suggest your clothing for the day, perhaps you need a haircut, or reminders to buy some rum, the cabinet is running low. It may direct you to a world that may not be fact nor fiction. It may, as what Bruce Springstein sang, offer a brilliant disguise. Ugly truths and beautiful visions – things that come easily while living on a sailboat in the Islands.

We will be in New York until after Christmas with family and friends. While visions of sugar-plums dance in some heads, we dream of warmer weather, with only sheets on our bed. I’m sure Gemini never thought of that! But now I have to get going to write our Christmas Newsletter. Merry Christmas to all!

The Day After

It’s the day after Thanksgiving. Although you would not know it here in Antigua. The Pilgrims never landed here, there is no Plymouth Rock, and turkeys are hard to find. Christopher Columbus landed here on his second voyage in 1493. He named the place Santa Maria de la Antigua after a church in Spain. The Caribs, the locals at the time, apparently were not welcoming so no feast was served. It took another 130 years before English settlers came here and grew tobacco. I guess everyone needed a smoke. Sugar eventually became the major crop and Rum was not far behind. Is that the evolution of food? The English nemesis, the French, never really threatened the island but that didn’t stop the English from building the ubiquitous forts and defenses found around the island. Today English Harbor is a World Heritage site and a Rum brand. The Rum was started by a Portuguese Family. Gigantic Cruise Ships call St. John and tourism and resorts, including cruiser like us, dominate the economy.

There are no yellow/orange fall foliage displays nor is it Black Friday, the insane day when stuff must be bought. But there are indications of changing seasons. The Rainy Season is ending and the Trades are starting to pick up. The Hurricanes have ended. BTW- there were no named storms in the Lesser Antilles this year. Tell that to your boat insurance salesmen!

Other indicators are that Christmas Décor is sprouting and has been for weeks. Tourists are arriving, escaping the Northern Winter while cruisers are planning where they will be for the Christmas/New Years celebrations. Each island has their own vibe. As usual we will fly to New York at that time to visit family and friends and hope for no snow delays at the airport. Two weeks in New York at Christmas time suffices our desire for a cold winter. On our return to the islands, the 85 degree sea water temperature thaws us out sufficiently to continue on.

Our sail up from Trinidad, the last leg – St Lucia to Antigua – was uneventful. Just like we like. It was pleasant enough without the drama of neither mal content weather or boat parts. We made the quick jump up here for two reasons. The first was that Laura and Drew flew down to stay with us for five days. The second was to join in with the 80 boats or so of the Salty Dawg Caribbean Rally that arrive mid-November.

We think Laura and Drew (daughter and son-in-law) had a great time. It was their first time down on Kalunamoo in the Caribbean. Swimming, snorkeling, restaurants and chilling out were the main activities. Boat living is an acquired taste and, like our other two daughters, may not be in their retirement plans. But like we say, whatever floats your boat. But it was great having them here and wish we could get the three daughters, three son-in-laws and seven grandkids down but we definitely would need a bigger boat for that.

The Salty Dawgs did arrive over a two week period. Weather delays and diversion to Bermuda – they all sail from the East Coast – spred the fleet out. In addition to a few that we knew on the Rally, other cruisers we knew sailed in. This becomes a big busy social scene. That kept us busy each day and so now, the day after Thanksgiving, we will begin to chill out before flying off to New York (and hopefully not get too chilled).

We did celebrate Thanksgiving with our kids via video, watched the Salty Dawgs small boat regatta and then had a great Turkey dinner at Angie’s Marinaside restaurant.

We will return before the New Year and head south when the winds and tides are favorable. Columbus only made four voyages to the Caribbean. Next year will be our 13th year. The locals are much more friendly now, despite having no Thanksgiving, and so we island hop to places Columbus never did visit. And we can count on no snow falling!

BREAKING NEWS

“A friend of mine told me to shoot first and ask questions later. I was going to ask why, but I had to shoot him first.” John Wayne

We sailed from Trinidad when the coast was clear. The last hurricane, which started as a tropical wave down here, devastated Jamacia and flew off past Bermuda last week. According to the Weather Lab at Deep Mind (https://deepmind.google.com/science/weatherlab) there is nothing on the horizon.

With that Breaking News, we set our course north toward Antigua, stopping at Bequia and St. Lucia. Headwinds to Bequia and decent sailing to St Lucia were experienced. We are hustling to Antigua to meet the Salty Dawg Rally boats from the US. There are about 80 heading to Antigua from the U.S. and they start to arrive next week. We made that crossing in 2013, 14 and 17. We found it better for us to keep the boat in the Caribbean than to sail back and forth each year.

Another reason to go to Antigua is – Breaking News – that our middle daughter and son-in-law will fly down in November for a visit aboard. It’s always great to have family aboard!

The quote from John Wayne (it might actually have been written by a screen writer) came to mind as we spent time on the front lines of the Great Caribbean Sea Battle of 2025. Trinidad – Breaking News – is just off the coast of Venezuela; just like the (assumed?) drug boats invading the U.S. and forcing drugs down our throats. If tariffs don’t get them, hellfire missiles will.

But this is not about politics. However, it does seem that the prevalent paradoxical mojo of Breaking News is what Wayne hinted at. “Move fast and break things”, in today’s lingo. Little thought seems to be given to consequences. Another quote of Wayne: “Life is hard. It’s harder if you’re stupid” may provide an answer to the paradox.

Move fast and break things, shoot first and ask later is dangerous when living and sailing on a sailboat. It may work to get you ahead in business, politics or even relationships (the later is purely speculative). But on a boat, it may get you underwater. Literally.

That thought always enters my mind, especially just after a long stay in the boatyard. The many M&R tasks may have been completed but there is also a saying: “Things break down even when not used”. After 4 months of not being used, boat things are still 4 months older and closer to their “guaranteed fail date”. That date, of course, is the million-dollar question. It may not cost a million, but it may feel like it!

So it is with some trepidation, that the first voyage out of the boatyard is the “break-in period”. Hopefully not the “break-down period”. Over the many years, we experienced both. Although we are not in Antigua yet – Breaking News – so far it has been a break-in period. After 36 hours of sailing, all is well! In Antigua we will meet cruisers we know and many more “newbies”. I’m sure we’ll hear their accounts of breakages, failures and challenges. Considering the Dawgs just sailed 1200 miles, I doubt many will say they wanted to move fast and break things.

All this to say, we sail conservatively (in a non-political way). Sailing at seven+ knots is fast for us. Eight or nine have been noted. Shorten sail often and early. Watch that weather window. Schedules are avoided. Keep enough rum aboard and stop and smell the flowers often. Ask before shooting and only act fast when docking. To clarify about docking: only move the boat as fast as the crew can react.

The counter to all this is that you learn by experience and experience is learned by making mistakes. True enough. But as John Wayne might have said, “Well Pilgrim, buckle up. The paths are rough and expect the worst. And above all, don’t try to prove how stupid you are.”

We are in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia awaiting a good weather window to Antigua. We are anchored in the shadow of Mt. Pimard. That mountain is being carved quickly into the massive A’ila Resort, Villas and Residences. The 1.3-billion-dollar development will contain 1,300 rooms, offers a $300,000 Citizenship Opportunity and will be completed in a few years. Maria’s small beach bar serving cold beers and fish sandwiches on a spec of public beach is surrounded by construction fencing and looks like a thorn in some developer’s eye. Furniture made from old shipping pallets may not match the surrounding A’ila’s motif. Moving fast and breaking things has no boundaries. Breaking News – I don’t know how long Marie can survive but we wish her good luck.

To conclude, all the news we hear is prefaced by “Breaking News”. Does that have a different meaning now? To me, “breaking” is not news but what follows is. Fixing what is broken seems important, if for no other reason than to avoid acting stupidly. We will continue to sail slow and keep from breaking things. That will not make us a trillionaire but maybe we’ll know the Art of the Heal – and that is Breaking News!

The Puzzle

Life is a puzzle. From the moment of birth to our last dying breath, we collect pieces of that puzzle in a vain attempt to see the large picture of life. We are not artists who paint the scenes of our daily existence from a landscape we imagine. Neither are we gods, already knowledgeable in the grand workings of the universe although searching for a grand scheme is endemic to humans. No, we collect pieces of a puzzle, never knowing what the final outcome will be. Even that, however, is incomplete as it reveals only one person’s unique picture.

I began writing this as the engine of the Turkish gullet Ya Salem, translated as “Hello!”, announced its presence at 6am while at anchor south of Gocek, Turkey. We boarded the private charter the previous afternoon in Gocek along with 5 other couples for a week cruise around the southern coast of Turkey.

Ten of us were invited by our cruiser friends Mike and Robin, s/v MERMAID, as they knew everyone would enjoy a “luxury” sailing experience with them. The twelve of us would have no need to raise the sail, cook meals, drop anchors, fix engines, watch for weather windows…. Just enjoy what non-cruising sailors think us cruisers do all the time!

The timing for this adventure was late September. This meant that we would have to fly from Trinidad, which was not a problem. We decided to visit our friends Doug and Katy in the UK on the way to Turkey and spent about a week with them. We stayed in their home in the Surrey area near Guildford, about an hour train ride from London.

Doug and Katy were very gracious hosts as they shepherded us around including going to London and Portsmouth. It was the first time either of us were in the UK. It is the ancestral home of my grandfather. He was born in 1880 in Mile End which is in the East End of London. We didn’t get to that area but we did do a Big Bus tour of the city. This all-day tour covered the city well and gave a great overview of London, its main historical buildings, neighborhoods, and traffic. The tour crossed over the Thames many times! There is no way to delve into any city in a day, but this served our purpose well. Visiting the WC’s at Harrods was the only time we “hopped off” the bus but we totally enjoyed the day. A targeted list to do for future visits could now be made.

We did plan to return to London on Sunday, but the weather turned and didn’t cooperate. It was cool and rainy, so we decided not to go. Apparently, the weather is different than in the Caribbean. Fortunately, we did bring along a sweater. Our hosts took us to other points of interest, pubs and restaurants around Guildford and also to Portsmouth. At the Portsmouth Historic area we climbed aboard the Victory, the ship on which Admiral Nelson was killed in action during the Battle of Trafalgar. We saw the remains of the Mary Rose, a British war ship sunk in 1545 and raised in 1982! Also the Warrior, the first iron steam and sail warship of the British Navy.

Our short stopover in the UK was very enjoyable, thanks to Doug and Katy. And yes, it was all so British. We didn’t go to nearby Windsor as the American President was due to arrive and didn’t want to overwhelm the British with too many American visitors.

Off we flew to Istanbul, for a two-night stay. We have been there before on a cruise ship but decided a short visit before heading to Gocek would be good. We also met up with most of the other guests that we would be sailing with. We all stayed in the Seven Hills Hotel right in the middle of historic Istanbul. It was only a few minutes’ walk to Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern and all the Turkish rug merchants you ever want to see. We did the walk to and into those places with a guide and, as in London, there is no way to cover any city in a day. The people are extremely friendly, especially if you need a rug.

**All the passengers at the Blue Mosque**

We then flew to Dalaman on the southern coast of Turkey and then a transport van to Gocek. Gocek itself is a Meca for recreational sailing and power boats, water tours, day and longer term charters, private or public. The waterfront is a maze of restaurants, marine stores, tourist specialty shops and cute ice cream vendor stands. What more can you ask for? And all very Turkish!

Aboard Ya Salem we all became good friends as we all had either sailing experience or world travel. Robin, Mike, Andy, Liz, Steve, Pam, Joe, Janice, Jessamine, Courtney and us were ready to go. The private charter provided a Captain, a Chef, and two crewmen. All but 2 meals were served aboard. With Captain Salim, we decided where to sail. The Ya Salem is a sailing gulet with extensive varnished wood and classic design. The cabins and individual heads were superb. Chef Muhsin provided bountiful and tasty Turkish dishes. But don’t expect to do much sailing. The reality is to motor between anchorages. It was decided to head west along the coast from Gocek past Marmaris. Each jump may be 3- 4 hours in the morning then anchor, explore the surroundings and then do the same the next day. Due to very light winds, pure sailing is not to be expected.

However, Robin did insist to see the sails raised and Captain Selem did agree to raise the main and jib one day and we sailed along in very light wind… for about an hour. Then we agreed to motor at 8 knots to the next anchorage. Not at all that different than what we do on Kalunamoo sometimes.

From my daily log aboard Ya Selam

After leaving the marina, Ya Selam anchored south of Gocek in one of the many coves on the west side of the large bay of Fethiye. Geo Uhrich, a cruiser friend of Andy’s happened to be at the same anchorage and gave a violin concert that night. He is a real professional and a wonderful musician. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbB-dVpAX1E

The next day, Sunday, at 6am we headed west and by 10am anchored near the Dalyan River. The Captain arranged for a local tour boat to take us up the river to Kaunos Antik Tiyatrosu, the Temple du theatre and the Lycian tombs. The entrance to the Dalyan River is very shoaly and leads to Turtle Beach. One of the few sandy beaches in the area and breeding grounds of Loggerhead turtles. The river is busy with tour boats with tourists and locals. The river was very busy with these boats all the way to Dalyan. Continuing up the winding delta of the river, we eventually reached the ruins. They are high on a hill and date from about 500 BC to about 1300 AD. Occupied by the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Muslims, and Turks through its long history, it was abandoned after a malaria epidemic until being “rediscovered” in 1840. Excavations to uncover the site didn’t start until 1966. It is a time capsule of antiquity in an environmentally protected area.

Monday we continued to sail west and anchored for a swim call and a steering issue repair! While anchoring a loud bang was heard and it turned out to be a broken link in the steering gear. The crewmen, Vilet took the broken part to Marmaris, about an hour dinghy ride away, to be fixed. A few hours later he returned and the repair solved the issue. Nothing like fixing boats in exotic places! It happens to all of us. Meanwhile we had a good swim in the warm Mediterranean waters. After the repair Ya Salem sailed to Bozukkale where we explored additional ancient ruins.

Tuesday the sails were raised but in very light winds and then anchored by Kameriye Adasi for a swim call then moved the boat to Selimlye for dinner ashore. Had a great octopus casserole.

Wednesday we anchored at Tavsanbuku Adasi for breakfast and moved to Bozburun for lunch. The southern coast of Turkey is an ancient dry rocky coastline and populated with many gulets, sailboats and powerboats. They all anchor “Mediterranean style”. The steep mountain doesn’t provide much of a shelf to set an anchor. What is done is to drop the anchor in deep (100 foot) water and back down to shore and run stern lines to tie to boulders ashore. It’s a secure method that relieves you of the problem of swinging or dragging an anchor. It becomes a very secure anchorage.

Thursday swim call anchored at Kadirga Limani

Friday anchored near Cleopatra’s Baths in Haman Bay. Cleopatra didn’t show up and the place could use some sprucing up. At 8pm we all went ashore for dinner and gave Chef Muhsin the night off. We ate at the very fancy Adaia Gocek restaurant, right on the water. Food was excellent.

Saturday, last breakfast aboard, a tour of the galley and engine room. Med moored at the Gocek Marina and disembarked the Ya Salem thanking Captain Salim, Chef Muhsin, Velit and Mert farewell. They did an excellent job of pampering us for a very pleasurable time aboard Ya Selam.

For the last three weeks we added some more pieces to the puzzle of life. Some say that the one who dies with the most toys wins. I look at it differently. The one who collects and is able to assemble the pieces of life’s jigsaw puzzle into something approaching knowledge is the true winner. In this way, we construct a mosaic and maybe understand life a little bit better while living on this very chaotic planet. We are now back in Trinidad to continue our East Caribbean life and voyage #16.

A Good Life

“As long as you are curating and storing your experiences in your psychological memorabilia, then you are enriching yourself every day,” Shigehiro Oishi, a psychologist at the University of Chicago.

As we return to our literal home, I try to fulfill that thought in writing these blogs. They are part of my “psychological memorabilia”. The goal is not to stray too far from the water’s edge, or from the gunwale of the boat in trying to express these thoughts. After all, a blog about living aboard and sailing should concentrate on living aboard and sailing. It is not my intention to deceive the reader.

I wrote that Kalunamoo is our literal home. Since we spend 9-10 months aboard, we realize that home is also an ancestral place and a place where/when families gather. The obvious implication is that a home is much more than a physical space in any one place or time. This New York summer brought our family together on Long Island, New Jersey and the Adirondacks. We flew out to Traverse City Michigan to visit cruiser friends, and others closer by. It was all good and much fun. This added to our psychological memorabilia, but the weather is changing, and the summer heat is fading. Time to head south!

We fly to Trinidad on Labor Day, but September is going to be a traveling month. London, Istanbul, Gocek and the Gulf of Fethiye aboard s/v Salamander. All will be novel experiences and we look forward to them. Then it will be back to Trinidad and the Eastern Caribbean.

The legend of Kalunamoo attempts to convey the benefits of varied life experiences. It does not demand extensive travel, although that certainly can lead to that result. Meeting others, reading books, understanding others and just being open to other lands and cultures is required. Some have described what a “good life” entails:

“A good life is a psychologically rich life, marked by novel experiences, perspective-shifting insights and complexity, but also more discomfort and challenges than a happy life or a meaningful life…

The last words of a person who lived a happy life might be: “It was fun!”

Someone who lived a meaningful one might say, “I made a difference!”

And for someone who lived a psychologically rich life? ‘What a journey!’ ”

Richrd Sima, Washington Post 8/20/2025.

Does living aboard fulfil a psychologically rich life? Well, it does not lend itself to much physical memorabilia. There is a limited amount of space for Stuff that can be loaded on a boat! That is fine with us. Psychological memorabilia is almost unlimited. Sailing certainly presents novel experiences, complexity, discomfort, and challenges. At times it can even be fun and can make a difference in your bank account (for good or bad)! So, perhaps living on a boat does provide a rich life.

‘tween Voyages

We have been ashore for a month and have adapted to the changed lifestyle. We do realize that our family and friends that live on-the-hard year-round certainly have a different lifestyle than us. Another month ashore like this and I may have to admit that it is a most novel way to live. Perhaps the best way to explain this is to outline what a typical day is like ashore.

We wake up at our usual time of about 0600 (6 AM). Since we are in the far north, latitude 41 north, the summer sun rises about the same time as we experience it in the islands. What is striking, however, is that most people, unless they march off to work, don’t rise until hours later. We find this odd but accept the fact that these early daylight hours are wasted waiting for the rest of the community to wake up.

Once awake, we check our e-mail, messages, text, social platforms, and news feeds to ensure that the world still exists outside the front door. We are closer to the Center of Everything yet still feel the need to connect with the “outside world”. And yes, there is an actual front door that must be transversed to enter the realm of land-based activities. No sauntering up an open companion way to meet the new day here!

What I don’t check is the National Hurricane Center, the Ocean Prediction Center, Windy, Bouyweather or the local weather station. Nor is there a VHF or a SSB radio to listen to or to log onto. In fact, the weather is essentially disregarded as it appears that it has little impact on life ashore.

Breakfast is nearly the same as aboard, modified to allow the use of local produce. This brings up the topic of food in general, groceries and their storage. Since we sail in well populated islands, groceries are not an issue unless anchored in an off-beat area or sail on long sea passages. There are many, if not more, supermarkets here as there are in the more popular islands. The “fresh markets” that are ubiquitous on most islands can be found here as well and known as “farmers markets”. But to me they seem less utilitarian; they seem more of a marketing opportunity than part of a functional distribution system. In any case the variety and amount of available products everywhere is outstanding. The local mail boat is replaced by 18 wheelers that bring supplies on a daily basis. No need to wait a week for that bell pepper.

Storage, of course, is essentially unlimited. This includes frozen and temperature-controlled storage. One could imagine only needing to do a provision run maybe two or three times a YEAR while living ashore!

But how on earth would one transport such a load to their abode on land? Simple. The dinghy, AKA a sports utility vehicle, can easily haul a truck load of provisions and back right up to the abode’s side port for easy unloading. Clearly an advantage of living on the hard.

Navigation on the roads is as simple as using the chart plotter. The auto pilot has not been perfected yet so manual steering is still used. I still miss switching the auto pilot on as soon as I clear the berth, i.e. the driveway. What is needed however, is an AIS system that can identify the A-holes that think they are driving an AC75 foiling monohull on a three-lane expressway. Maybe someday these land dwellers with get with the 21^st century.

Since we are living with our daughter on Long Island there is the ocean and beach nearby. Not quite like jumping in the water a few feet from the breakfast table, it does however serve the purpose of satisfying a body’s yearning for sand between the toes and saltwater bathing.

One of the many odd things I noticed was the relationship with the local flora. We spend a considerable expense each year hauling Kalunamoo out of the water to address the flora and assorted members of the subclass Cirripedia arthropod known as barnacles. As benign as they are, and the seagrass that also accumulates on the hull, they are anything but attractive. They can slow the boats progress thru the water like a flat tire on a car. To combat this the hull is painted with elements that they despise but time is on their side. Months may go by, but they eventually win out. They are physically evicted in situ which does wonders for developing your underwater skills, but is still a chore nonetheless.

Oddly, on land, it seems just the opposite. Grass is actually encouraged, fertilized and cultivated along with, admittedly, attractive foliage and flowers. This surrounds the abode but then demands attention and requires the chore of cutting, pruning and ritual “pulling of the weeds”. Encourage growth, then slaughter? Proponents of such endeavors unabashedly call this gardening. Sore backs, and bad knees seem like the only reward to me. It’s not like their abode can move any faster once all that work is accomplished. But, as they say, whatever floats your boat.

The sun sets here at an unreasonable hour in the summer, nearly at cruisers midnight. I suppose one can adapt but by then I’m ready to turn in. Lacking the gentle rocking of the cabin, dreams of grounding dominate my thoughts. I do take solace in the knowledge that we won’t drag, and I don’t worry about waking to a roll 7 level in the morning.

Our time here has also been marked by visiting many of our favorite doctors. Their probing and prodding indicate that, given the right medicines, diets and exercise, we will return next summer. In that sense, I feel we are getting our medical insurance money’s worth. We return to Kalunamoo in a few weeks just as the summer winds down here; before the leaves turn yellow, the snow flies, and multiple layers of clothing are required. We will miss the family and friends and certainly look forward to our next visit despite their novel lifestyle. I hope the above primer helps those liveaboard cruisers to adjust to visits to shore, either their ancestral homelands or just to shake some barnacles off their memories. The photos of our summer’s ‘tween voyages include family and friends, grandkids ball games, upstate visits and other diversions.

Voyage 15

Our 15th voyage aboard Kalunamoo ended when it was hauled and placed on the hard on June 10^th. The list of M&R to be completed by October includes work on the davits and their deck mounting to fix leaks, repair cap rail leaks, thru-hull modifications, new house batteries, repair some hidden interior carpentry, and routine cleaning and bottom painting. After all, it is our home that we must maintain (and keep afloat) and of which, most of the work, has to be done when the boat is out of the water. For eight months a year, only emergency work is done while we sail around the islands. For two of the four hurricane months we “vacation” off the boat. The other times we are still aboard but not afloat.

Last June the title of the first blog of Voyage 15 was “Slaves of the Sea”. It concerned the social aspect of liveaboard cruising on a sailboat. No need to repeat what I wrote but this season confirmed our basic idea of what our lifestyle has come to be. High adventure to distant shores is for younger folk than us. New and distance ports are certainly worthy of sailing to, but we became Stuck in Paradise and having some Quality Time becomes us; and the social interaction with those we meet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ui6A-IyGLA

As far as quality time, we did meet Bankie Banx in 2017 in Anguilla at his Rendezvous Bay Dunes Preserve with Doug and Katie, s/v CASA TU, on one of our road tours. Perhaps Paradise is not as exotic as assumed but neither is reality so immutable as experienced. Or as Bob Bitch’n proclaims, the difference between ordeal and adventure is attitude.

The social scene in Paradise this voyage began with meeting the Salty Dawgs in Antigua. Bob, Brenda and their son Christopher (s/v PANDORA) were there along with about 100 other Dawgs. Fun times for a couple of weeks. Our daughter Melanie and son-in-law Dave came down in January for a week which is always an enjoyable and welcome visit. The weather was perfect while they were with us. The day they left it turned windy and rainy for about a month.

We sailed to Martinique to spend some quality time with Nada and Polda (ex-s/v NADA) in St Anne. They swallowed the hook a few years ago and manage to come to Martinique for a month or so every February. We caught up with them to take a few car trips, eat bokits at Boubou and played some Mexican Dominoes. We hope to see them again this summer in Massachusetts.

In St Lucia we met up with a number of cruisers and ex-cruisers in Rodney Bay at beach BBQ’s, the marina’s resturants and Mexican Train Dominoes. Jason (s/v BLUE BLAZE) was instrumental in plugging a corroded thru hull that was very disconcerting!

Further down the island chain in Bequia, the cruisers we came across were BEBE, TEGAN, REMEDY, SWEET CAROLINE and EXODUS all cruisers we have come to know. Janet and Joe (s/v TEGAN) who we saw in St. Lucia and Bequia, added to my ongoing efforts to promote cruiser’s musical jams. We first met them years ago in Trinidad and they only just recently completed their 20+ year circumnavigation.

Mark and Cathy on NANCY LU were in Grenada when we anchored in Prickly Bay. Mark was very active on the Coconut Telegraph this season, which is an old-style social network on SSB HF radio. Yes, we can still communicate without Star Link! They introduced us to Sabrina Francis at the Tree House, way up in the mountains of Grenada. A unique evening listening to Sabrina and her band in a very intimate setting.

Our voyage ended in Trinidad as it has been for the last number of years. Mark and Willie (s/v LEAHONA) are back in Trinidad after a few years in Puerto Rico. One night, we got together with them and Jesse James, his wife Sharon Rose and other cruisers for dinner at the Meena House, a great Indian restaurant in Port of Spain. Good times catching up again!

Voyage 16 will commence when we splash Kalunamoo in late October. The Eastern Caribbean will again be our sailing area, where we will anticipate meeting cruisers we know and ones we will come to know. Perhaps Slaves of the Sea connotated a too negative view of liveaboard cruising but does convey the considerable difference between living on land and living on the sea. I’ll leave it to the reader to determine which is more like slavery. At the very least, living on the sea does demand actions that must be taken to survive. The primary one being: keep the sea out of the boat. The summer will see us visiting family and friends in the States as well as in the UK (Doug and Katie) and a ‘busman’s holiday” in Turkey aboard a gullet with 5 other couples. Travel will be by jet, as Kalunamoo rests in Trinidad and awaits our return in the fall.

It’s June

The Flower Moon has passed with no additional Engine Spirits materializing and so has our time in Grenada. When the Strawberry Moon rises, we will be in Trinidad. Why each full moon is named I have no idea. As technology advances, it seems more people search for meanings in the natural rhythms of the planets and discard the cold technologic explanations. How else can one explain the devotion and reverence one pays to a iPhone, while being quite skeptical or knowledgeable of the physical science behind such an instrument? Ironically, many of the mems and “truths” gleaned from such devices rely on the very technology and science that is questioned. Don’t trust anyone over 30, shouted the hippies of the 60’s. Today, that idea has blossomed as people of all ages lose trust, not just in other people, but also in institutions, governments, businesses. They rely on the persuasive theatrics of profession “very important people” they happen to agree with. The monthly full moon is named with aspirations of meaning beyond the “Cold hearted orb that rules the night. Removes the colours from our sight. Red is grey and yellow – white. But we decide which is right, And which is an illusion”. (Graeme Edge, Peter Knight)

Our time was well spent in Grenada, an island we haven’t been to in 7 years. This season’s voyage (#15) was long on port stays, and short on preferable sailing weather. That was ok, as hanging out in the Caribbean is mostly what we prefer now. Antigua, Martinique, St Lucia, Bequia and Grenada were the places where we spent most of our time. In each port we managed to meet up with new and old cruising friends, which made our neighborhood quite active. In Grenada, we anchored off the University Club, a bit rolly at times, but with good transportation options to other areas. I did manage to find bars of Jouvay Grenadian chocolate here. I think it is the best of the Caribbean chocolates. It is apparently in short supply ever since last year’s hurricane Beryl took out many of the cocoa trees. We also got to visit St. Augustine’s Medical Service, a private hospital when my stomach acted up. Some x-rays, blood/urine tests, exam and some antibiotics took care of the issue although my rum consumption took a hit. Probably for the better.

**Mark, Cathy, Bill, Maureen at the Tree House**

Lunches at La Phare Bleu, One Love, and the Container Park where we sampled local dishes was great. On Wednesday nights we went over to hear the Cool Jazz Band in Secret Habor, a very good local band. Revisiting the rest of the island will have to wait until we return. We ended our stay, in Grenada, by seeing Sabrina Francis with cruising friends Mark and Cathy (s/v NANCY LU). Sabrina is a talented professional local singer, who performs all around Grenada and in the Tree House. The Tree House is way up in the mountains in St. David. This small and coxy venue does not have a PA system. Each audience member wears earphones and hears exceptionally clear performers and other sound effects. A lovely evening in the mountains with drinks and Hors d’Oeuvres was marvelous. I loved it as I didn’t need my hearing aids! A video of the performance we attended is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33inNjVRN6k. The back of my head is seen in the wide stage shots (bottom right corner).

The overnight sail down to Trinidad was lumpy with strong currents, and close-reach sailing, but no squalls. At times the current was against the wind which made the seas more than lumpy. But we made it after dawn with about 7 other boats, all taking advantage of the “best” weather window. It was one of those sailings that you just grit your teeth and do it. Our hat is off to our friend ,Bob on PANDORA, who is off to the Med via Bermuda, and the Azores. We believe our long distant voyages are over and the few nights we sail are more than enough for us. But to those who voyage on, safe sailing!

When we arrived, in Trinidad there were no moorings available. Trinidad, as most places have seen, an increase of cruisers since the pandemic. The boats are bigger, the anchorages are more popular and so what else is new? A growing population spreads widely. We anchored for one night but the next day a mooring opened up and we jumped on it. We believe taking a mooring in Chaguaramas is preferable to anchoring in the small area available. In four days, we haul out and be on the hard. The only problem is that our car’s engine, i.e. the dinghy’s outboard engine, refuses to start. In Grenada, on the last island of this season’s voyage, on the last dinghy ride to shore, it decided to quit.

As we mentioned many times, the dinghy is our “car” to get ashore. Fortunately, we know a few boats here that can give us a lift to shore for the days we are on the mooring. Thanks to Mike on EXODUS and Mark on LIAHONA for their help! Mark uses the small skiff of Power Boats to get us to shore. Add “outboard motor repair” to the to-do list here in Trinidad.

Chaguaramas, as we have mentioned is a combination of large commercial ships for the oil rigs, Venezuelan and local fishing boats and worldwide cruisers. An eclectic mix in an eclectic country. No one talks of the Strawberry Moons. Instead, they keep an eye on the weather and the inner workings of their watercrafts. They move big things, catch what swims by and Lime with abandon.

Kalunamoo will spend the next few months here, undergoing some M&R as we fly north to see family and friends. We will be up there to see the Buck Moon, the Sturgeon Moon and of course the Corn Moon. It’s that monthly excitement which I can’t wait to see.

Poltergeist and the Flower Moon

It was the night of the Flower Moon but was it a poltergeist? Strange things transpire when planets, spirits, tides, paranoia, winds and politicians align or misalign with the unknown forces of the Universe. So, it was aboard Kalunamoo on the night of Monday, May 12, 2025.

We arrived in Prickly Bay, Grenada on Friday the 9^th. Kalunamoo hasn’t been here since 2018. Anchored off the University Club in 5 fathoms, we felt secure. “It’s a little deep but ok” I said. Since last here, a few mooring balls were placed and there were boats closer to the shoreline. I would also have liked to be close in to be protected by the reef south of us. Prickly Bay is known to be rolly, but the reef does provide some protection. Fortunately, it was not rolly when we first anchored but when the wind has any south in it, the low swells travel up the entire bay. A few days after anchoring we had stage 3 rolls and a few to 4.

**That House is owned by the owner of Massey**

The Bay hasn’t changed much in seven years, but new houses have sprung up along the shore and up the slopes. Some of them are quite large, testifying to the attractiveness of Grenada and the inducements the government offers to those who can afford it. New businesses dot the roads and older establishments still exist.

Taxi vans and bus routes are as busy and as friendly as ever, as are the multiple anchorages for visiting cruisers. Each anchorage has its enclave of devoted cruisers with an active social agenda. A few notable locals and cruisers have passed away since we have been here but, all in all, Grenada remains a very welcoming island to the cruising community. A number of cruisers we know are here including a few waiting to sail south to Trinidad. We will head that way next month.

The full moon, the Flower Moon of May, was in the east when we retired for the night. Stage 3 roll is not uncomfortable and doesn’t affect sleeping at all. The winds out of the east were gentle, and the back cabin hatch was open as no showers were expected. At midnight, I was deep in a dream state somewhere walking in a mall.

The mall was interrupted by the sound of an engine starting. Odd. Then I realized I was half awake and the engine of Kalunamoo had started. Maureen immediately jumped up as I did! Half groggy, I ran up to the cockpit expecting to see another boat crashing into us or us crashing into the rocky shoreline. Having a big boat banging against us in the middle of the night is something we experienced last year in Dominica. Not again! No boat alongside. No crashing shoreline. We were safely secured in the exact position we have been all along. But the engine was running!

The ignition switch was in the OFF position but I turned it to the STOP position and the engine stopped. By this time, adrenaline kicked in and I was wide awake with no clue as to what had happened.

Maureen, on her way to the cockpit, was on the lookout for a pirate border. I didn’t think of that but was that a possibility? There was no indication of anyone around and in hindsight, doubt that anyone would start the engine to steal the boat that way. In any case, a quick survey of the engine room, and wiring I didn’t show anything amiss. I turned the engine start battery off and went back to sleep.

Since then, another check of the wiring and start system was done. The three components: ignition switch, relay, and high amp relay (solenoid) were looked at with no apparent reason to suspect a fault. The motor starts and stops normally and hasn’t spontaneously started again. It never did in the past and no one ever wrote or report one that did.

We could get a mechanic or electrician out to look into this but since then I decided to dig further when we are in Trinidad in a few weeks. Of course, if it happens again…

So that leaves only two conclusions: Poltergeist or Flower Moon. Or a combination of both. Clearly in today’s world trusting institutional experts, with obvious monetary biases, can’t be trusted anymore. They will talk me into buying something. I’m going for the Flower Moon explanation. The fact that the companion way hatch was open to the rays of that moon at zenith at midnight caused the engine to start. Poltergeist do have the ability to do action at a distance. But why would they start a sailboat engine in Grenada? That doesn’t make sense. The Flower Moon however does not have an alibi, probably wanted me to see it, and had the opportunity to act. Show me the research that disproves that.

The Crew

We spent three weeks in Bequia including a couple of days in the Tobago Cays. The Grenadines are one of our favorite areas that never disappoint. The only thing is we usually come down late in the season when things start closing down. The Easter Regatta in Bequia marks the beginning of the slowdown. The lobster season also ends at the end of April. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our stay and the beautiful Princess Margaret Beach, one of the best in the Caribbean, and meeting up with cruisers who were passing through.

On our voyage from Bequia to Carriacou, we flew in two AB’s* to stand the 8-12 bow watch. The area we transited was notorious for whales, dolphins and flying fish. Just the other day, the whalers on Bequia rowed out and harvested a 50’ Humpback. With that in mind, we wanted another set of eyes watching out for these hazards to navigation. I recommend them to anyone who is seeking keen-eyed and responsible crew. Mork and Mindy were great, never complained although Mork was a little unsteady on his feet at times. We made the passage without incident as I think Mork may have scared off some flying fish. All’s well that ends well. (*AB’s, actual birds).

Mork and Mindy

I bring this up as we caught up with our good cruiser friend, Bob (PANDORA) and his crew member Ken in Bequia when they were bringing Pandora up from Trinidad to St. Martin. We crossed paths, we going south, they going north. Bob will get more crew and sail to Bermuda, the Azores and then Spain. His wife, Brenda, will join him in various ports and in Europe. We may not see them again for a few years. It’s an ambitious plan and we wish them safe voyages. Hopefully we will see them back in the Caribbean on their return voyage.

Having crew to help with different legs on a voyage is not unusual. There are web sites and organizations almost like dating sites, to match up crew and boats. Many rely on word of mouth or “delivery skippers” to fill positions of what they need. Most of these positions are an unpaid volunteer/friend basis. There are legal issues if payments are made as then you stray into running a business and all that entails.

There is a certain stress with only two aboard (not to mention solo sailing). Although most cruising boats can be single handed, the problems come when there are problems. As our other good friend, Mark has said many times, everything on the boat is broken, you just don’t know it yet.

When you do know it, it is usually at the most inconvenient time. Besides dealing with a boat problem the boat must continue to sail. If that other crew member is out of commission for any reason, then things can get dicey. Therefore, many cruisers have a total of three or four aboard to cover any eventualities.

Maureen and I only made one voyage (New York to Bermuda) with one other crew member – our son-in-law Dave. It was our first true blue water voyage, and we appreciated the company. No problems arose and Dave flew home from Bermuda. It was only a 5-day passage and we handled it just fine. Our 12-14 day voyages to the Caribbean were done without crew. At times we could have used another crew but, all in all, we never had any severe problems. Maureen has said that the care and feeding of the crew may not be worth the effort! I wonder if mutinies were the result of such thinking? In any case, it is hard to start a mutiny revolt by yourself.

OTOH, we have heard strange stories of strange crews. Many crew members come aboard by recommendation or a verified CV. That may not be enough to ensure that an ad-hoc pick-up crew will be as dedicated as Mork and Mindy were. The strange tale of a couple who were sailing to the Caribbean comes to mind.

It was a few years ago and the captain and wife were eager to sail to the Caribbean and had a third crew member aboard, which they knew, to sail with them. A few days after leaving the coast, the boat had to divert to Bermuda as the rudder either fell off or was inoperable. They did manage to get to Bermuda and were able to repair the rudder to continue their voyage to the BVI’s. But the repair is not the story.

Their crew member was on a schedule and could not wait in Bermuda for the repairs to be completed (it took weeks). That member flew off leaving the couple to find another. If anyone remembers seeing the sailing documentary Captain Ron, you may recall, a similar situation. However, they did find a crew member. A highly recommended man who had the experience and knowledge they required. He was an ex-US Marine, and bare boated many boats in his career. Sailing a week south would be a piece of cake. He was just what they wanted.

The three of them set off from Bermuda and headed south. They split the watches evenly so they could enjoy the sail. The Marine seemed fine at first but on his first night watch he put the engine on to boost speed. The captain knew the winds were light, but they were sailing along fine. He let him motor along. The next day the Marine again started the engine. “What are you doing, this is a sailboat!” exclaimed the captain. “We need to make time, that storm over there will catch us”, replied the Marine, in an anxious tone.”

No storm was seen, no storm was forecast. “We can’t motor all the way, not enough fuel!” The Marine didn’t pay any attention, he refused even to throttle back to save fuel. The captain was becoming concerned as every time the Marine was on watch he revved up the engine to push on. The Marine declared that when he was on watch he would decide how to run the boat. No interference from the off watch! Threats were exchanged as the captain swore the Marine had dementia.

By the fourth, day tempers were high but the captain knew he could not out fight the Marine. He was thinking of weapons. The details remain a mystery but by the time they pulled into Jos Van Dyke, it was a miracle that the captain and Marine were still alive, the engine running on fumes, and the rudder hadn’t fallen off.

The captain immediately ran to the Customs office and demanded that the Marine be arrested. He told the officer the sorry details of his deranged crewmember and expected him to be led away in handcuffs. Sorry, the officer said, all we can do is get him off the boat. He will have to find his own way off the island. Well, said the captain, at least I didn’t kill him.

The captain and his wife had a pleasant time in the islands after the Bermuda and Marine debacle. However, not long after they arrived, a mosquito blessed them with dengue fever. But was it a mosquito or something the Marine brought aboard? Is there a storm brewing on the horizon or in the crew’s quarters? Sometimes, you just can’t tell.

So that’s one story of sailing with a crew. Maybe Maureen is right, it just isn’t worth it. Mork and Mindy flew home when we approached Carriacou and we bid them fond farewell for a job well done. We continued on to Grenada and will sail to Trinidad sans crew.